Party-line telephone-exchange.



c. A. ANDERSON. I PARTY LINE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1910.

Patented Jan13, 1911.

4 S'HEETS-BHEET 1.

1n: Nnxms FEYERS 120.. WAlHINGTON, n. :1

- G. A. ANDERSON. PARTY LINE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE.

APPLIOATIQN FILED FEB. 28, 1910.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

4 snnmswmn'm z.

0 v 5 m. z 1

n: NORRIS PETIERS cm, WASHINGYON, n. c,

C. A. ANDERSON.

PARTY LINE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1910.

9 0 57 Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

' k Hanna-sums C. A. ANDERSON.

PARTY LINE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2B, 1910.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE A. ANDERSON, OF SALINA, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ANDERSON ELEGTRIO & MANUFACTURING 00., OF VTICI-IITA, KANSAS.

PARTY-LINE TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE A. ANDER- sort, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, and a resident of Salina, Kansas, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Party-Line Telephone-Exchanges,of which the'following is a specification.

My invention relates to party line telephone exchanges and has for itsobject improvements in such devices.

For the purpose of giving some preliminary information as to the generalcharacter of the invention herein involved, I will state some of theprincipal characteristics set forth in the drawings, and as will befurther explained hereinafter.

Briefly, the principal characteristics may be stated as follows: Thesystem is a party line exchange of the lock-out type adapted to usecentral energy for both operating and talking. Lock-out systems are ofvarious constructions, but they all involve one characteristic, namely,the use of some apparatus by which an unusual or special movement ismade at the desired local stations on the line, by which specialmovement that particular station is connected telephonically to theparty line, whereas other stations in which such movement does not occurare left disengaged or locked out, as the ordinary term is used.

The system uses a calling device at the central oliice, from whichdevice impulses are sent over the party line to operate the devices atthe local stations. In the present case these impulses are alternatelyin opposite directions; the switching devices at the local stationsbeing made so that they will be operated by such impulses. When operatedin this way, the armatures of the electro-magnets used for propellingthe switching devices are not returned to their normal positions bysprings, but by reverse current. The impulses flowing in one directionare called operating impulses, whereas the impulses flowing in theopposite direction are release impulses. In the present case, however,the release impulse does not of itself cause a release in the switchingmechanism, which is efiected only when there is associated with it asecondary impulse, the two together effecting the complete release.

For convenience I shall hereinafter designate the alternating impulsesfrom the central office calling device as primary impulses,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 28, 1910.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911 Serial No. 546,405.

while certain other impulses which are associated with them for causingthe special movement and also for causing the release I shall termsecondary im ulses. In the Present case I use a power rive for thecalling device and arrange a magnetic clutch for connecting the callingdevice to the power drive when the station is selected. The process ofselecting the station is accomplished by placing upon the callingdevice, or adjacent thereto, a series of numbered keys, each keyrepresenting a different local station on the party line. The depressionor manipulation of a key to select a desired station automaticallyconnects the calling device to the power drive. I also provide in thesame apparatus automatic arrangements or connections for stopping thecall ing device and permitting it to return to normal position as soonas it has completed the cycle of impulses for which itis set. In thisconnection I will say that the calling device is made so as to beapplicable to the large number of stations on a party line, but it isset so that it will operate beyond the greatest number of stations thatexist upon any of the oarty lines which it serves. Thus, if the callingdevice should be made for twenty stations and should be used in a placein which ten or twelve stations would be the greatest number on any oneparty line, then the device would be set so that it would operate forthat number of stations and would return to normal position as soon asit had completed sending a suflicient number of impulses to accommodatethat number of stations. I also provide an automatic arrangement forringing or signaling the selected stations; this automatic arrangementbeing so made that the calling device will cause the ringing circuit topass over the party line without any special manipulation by thesubscriber. I also provide the calling device with connections soarranged that when it begins its operation, the first thing it does isto send a series of impulses over the line so as to permit all theswitching devices at the local stations to return to their normalpositions in case they had not been returned previously.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, ofthe switching device used at the local stations; Fig. 2 is a partialbottom view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, ofFig. 1; Fig. 4:

is a bottom view, partly 1n section, with the l wheel A and the numberof steps required parts removed which are shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is adiagram of the central ofiice apparatus; Fig. 6 is a diagram showing twolocal stations on the party line, and a jack and associated parts thatbelong to the central oiiice, and Fig. 7 is a section showing a suitableconstruction for the magnetic clutch, by which the calling device isstarted into operation.

The switching devices of the local stations are in their main mechanicalconstructions very similar to other devices which have been in generaluse and, therefore, I need only describe so much as will be necessary toillustrate the changes which I have introduced to meet the requirementsof the general mode of operation hereinafter to be described.

The switch is mounted upon a base A and consists of a ratchet wheel Awhich is provided with a pawl mounted upon the armature lever of amagnet 85. The magnet 85 is polarized so that impulses in oppositedirections move the armature lever back and forth. When the armaturelever is moved in one direction, the pawl drives the ratchet wheel Aforward, whereas when the armature lever is moved in the oppositedirection the tail end of the pawl engages a pin 160 and is raised fromengagement with the wheel. Pivoted at 161 is a holding pawl 162 which isreleased by the armature lever 163, operated by a cut-in magnet 64 onthe lower part of the base A. It will be evident from what has just beenstated that after the ratchet wheel A has been advanced, an operation ofthe armature 163 to release the holding pawl 162 will not release theratchet wheel unless the driving pawl is simultaneously released by therelease movement of the armature lever belonging to magnet 85. Also thata release movement of this armature lever will not of itself release theratchet wheel unless the armature 163 moves simultaneously therewith. Atthe other end of the magnet 64 is an armature lever 164, and adjacentthereto is a catch 165 adapted to hold the armature 164 in a retractedposition when the magnet 64 is energized. A pin on the ratchet wheel Areleases the catch 165 when the ratchet wheel returns to normalposition. This particular construcbefore the next closure takes placewill depend upon that adjustment. At station No. 1 this adjustment issuch that the contact is closed when the ratchet wheel has made onestep. At station No. 2 the closure will occur when the ratchet wheel hasmade two steps, and so on. Adjacent to the ratchet wheel are two springs27 and 28, one of which rests against the actuated part of the shaft forthe ratchet wheel A The adjacent unnumbered spring is used in some formsof exchange employing the same style of switch but is functionless inthis. lVhen the ratchet wheel is in its normal position the springs 27and 28 are in electrical connection with each other, but as soon as theratchet wheel is moved from normal position this electrical connectionis opened. Adjacent to the armature lever, operated by the magnet 85,are some contact springs which are actuated by the movement of saidlever. The circumstances under which connections are made and broken bythese contacts will be best understood by the diagram, and will bedescribed hereinafter.

Referring to Fig. 7, 167 is a continuously driven power shaft, on whichis loosely mounted a disk 141, upon which disk is wound the coils 74 ofthe clutch mechanism. Secured by a feather or pin and slot to the shaft167 is a disk 169 which turns continuously with the shaft 167, but isaxially movable thereon. If a current is sent through the coils 74 thedisk 169 is attracted to the disk 141 and the two move together as longas the current flows through the coils 74. Upon breaking the circuitthrough these coils the disk 141 returns to its normal position in anyconvenient manner. I have shown a weight 170 as secured to one part ofthe disk 141; said weight by its gravity falling to the lowest position,which lowest position corresponds to the normal position of the disk141.

Adjacent to the disk 141 is a plate 107, in which are a series of holes171, and in any one of these holes a special pin may be placed, whichspecial pin is engaged by the inner one of two projections on arm 91secured to the disk 141. Also in the plate 107 are holes, in which areplaced insulated pins 90. For convenience of illustration I have shownthe pins 90 as set in insulated segments of the plate 107. Connectingwires run from the pins 90 to a series of keys marked 1, 2, etc. Thesekeys are selecting keys for selecting the stations; thus, key No. 1represents station No. 1, and key No. 2 represents station No. 2, and soon. The pins 90 lie in the path and are contacted by the outerprojection on the arm 91, when said arm is moved by rotation of the disk141 to which it is secured. In one portion of the disk 141 are a seriesof serrations l f which are adapted to engage an insulated roller andits spring 11. Such engagement with the serrations causes the spring 411to vibrate to and fro between contact points 40 and 82, as will behereinafter described. On a portion of the disk 141 are insulatedcontact springs 79 and 80. These contact springs are normally out ofconnection with each other and are pressed into contact with each otherwhen the disk 169 is attracted by current flowing through the coils 74LForming part of the calling device is a bar 110 mounted to slidelongitudinally on guide pins, or in suitable guides and is moved eitherby the attraction of a magnet 105, or by the depression of one of thekeys, Nos. 1, 2, etc. These keys are so arranged that when one of themis pushed downward it strikes the upper part of the adjacent hook 88,which hook is secured to but insulated from the bar 140. The hook 88,when it engages a depressed key holds that key in a depressed conditionuntil the bar is moved still farther to the right, which is accomplishedby-the current flowing through the magnet 105. The effect of this isthat a current through the magnet 105 releases any depressed key andpermits it to return to normal position. The movement of the bar 140 tothe right shifts certain electrical connections, as will be readily seenby examining the diagram in Fig. 5. This shiftcuts out the connectionsto the generator G.

In addition to the particulars so far described there are a number ofelectrical contacts, a plug with its connections, a signal lamp, contactand other parts, which will be readily understood from the descriptionof the operation, which operation may be set forth as follows: Thesubscriber removes his receiver and his hook rises to close contact at30. A current flows:battery Z 20- 212223-2et25262728 (closed in normalposition)29-K-T-P-3O 31 3334358G373S39-Z. This energizes magnet 89 toclose 137 to 138, whereupon current flows from the battery Z through thelocal circuit to light the lamp 139. This in turn informs the operatorthat a subscriber on this particular party line has called. The operatorthen inserts a plug (lower right hand corner of Fig. 5) in the jack ofthe line from which the call comes. This breaks the circuit for magnet30 at 21 22 and 3738, and the consequent deenergization of the magnet 39breaks the circuit for the lamp 139. The operator then presses key 100to the left for the purpose of con necting her telephone set to thecalling line. As such connections are well known the operators telephoneset and connections therefor are not shown in the drawings. Uponlearning who called and who is wanted she depresses the correspondingkeys on the calling device. For convenience it will be assumed thatsubscriber at station No. 1 called and wants the subscriber at stationNo. 2, and that both are on the same party line. She therefore depresseskey 1 and 2, shown at the lower left hand part of Fig. 5, which keysrepresent stations 1 and 2. Depressing a station indicating key until itcaught and held by its corresponding hook 62-22-2324t25 of each stationon the line636 1656667 (closed by impulse through S5)4e3groundX. Theimpulse first described is in that direction through the magnet 85 whichcauses its armature to move in the release direction, and the otherimpulse through the magnet 64 releases the holding pawl 162. The two ofthem coming together releases the switching mechanism to permit it toreturn to normal position if it is not there previously.

The impulse previously described through magnet 4-5 causes its armatureto engage 69; when a current flows: Y6869 70 717273coil 7a of themagnetic clutch- 75767778Y. This operates the magnetic clutch to drivethe serrated disk 14-1, and in its operationit closes 79 80 to produce ashunt circuit for the magnetic coil 7% around the contacts 6970.

The release impulses through and 04, previously described, continueuntil the disk has moved far enough to break connections with and tobring the serrations into engagement with the insulated roller on thespring a1. \V hen this occurs the spring 41 by its own tension movesfrom contact 10 to contact 82, when a current flows: X5 1 S1S241; andover the previous circuit through magnets 85 to ground at each localstation. This is an impulse from the opposite pole of the battery tothat previously described and operates to advance the switches of allstations one step. As the disk 1-11 advances the serrations cause thespring 41 to vibrate between contacts 40 and 82, sending alternateoperating and releasing impulses through the magnets 85. These releaseimpulses do not, however, release the switches because complete releasedepends upon the simultaneous operation of magnets 64: to release theholding pawls, and no. impulse flows through those magnets by theoperation of the serrations alone. The impulses, therefore, simply movethe driving pawls back and forth to operate (advance) the switches.

As the disk 1 11 advances, the outer contact on the end of the arm 91engages the insulated pins in the plate 107. At the time it has advancedfar enough to strike the first pin 90 the ratchet wheel at station No. 1has advanced enough to have arm 166 close contacts 92-93. 'When the arm91 has advanced far enough to engage the second pin 90, the ratchetwheel at station No. 1 has moved far enough to have its arm pastcontacts 92 93, while the ratchet wheel at station No. 2 has reached theposition at which its arm 166 will close the adjacent contacts 9293. Thesame is true with respect to the succeeding pins 90 and the contacts9293 at the other local stations.

As it has been previously assumed that key 1, which corresponds tostation No.

1 and the first pin 90 has been pressed, it consequently follows thatwhen arm 91 strikes this pin a current will flow from gen eratorG868788key 189 first pin 90-91-base 14l156575859- 00-61-62 22 232 125 ofstation No. 168-*6et-65 9293- 142-1t3 groundG. This operates the magnet64 to attract its armature, and, as the ratchet wheel at this stationhas moved from its normal position the armature is held in its attractedposition so as to maintain the electrical connections of the cbntactsprings just below the said magnet 64. This holding of the armature 16 1is due to its being caught and held by the hook on the lever 165, thesaid hook being enabled to accomplish this result by reason of theadvance of the ratchet wheel so that the pin thereon is removed fromcontact with the other end of the lever 165. This construction is shownin Fig. 1. The releasing armature of the magnet Gi is also attracted atthe same time, but as the contacts with the pins 90 are arranged tooccur only when the spring 41 engages contacts 82, and consequently whenthe magnets are driving their respective ratchet wheels, this actiondoes not release the switch. lVhen the arm 91 connects with the pin 90connected by the second key which was depressed by the operator, a likeresult occurs at the corresponding local station.

In a portion of the plate 107 is a series of holes in any one of which aspecial. pin may be placed. This portion is connected through battery Wto magnet 105, the connection being shown to the plate adjacent to thelast hole. This pin is in the path of the inner projection on the arm91, and when the arm comes into contact with this pin a current flows:VV-105 1OG56 base 91107-10S1V. Energizing magnet 105 draws its armatureand the bar 140 to the right so as to release the depressed stationselecting pins from the hooks 88, by which they were held in a depressedcondition. The de'energization of the magnet 105 by the arm 91 passingthe special pin in the plate 107, permits the bar 140 to return to itsnormal position as shown in Fig. 5. When this occurs the generator G is0011- nected to the line and a ringing circuit is completed: G-86-109-58-59-6061 62222324L2594.-95-9697--98- 99 101'-102 3132-33-34-35-3037 53 52 51 504E9-110G. This signals the selected subscribers, and thisringing is maintained as long as the operator holds the key 100 pressedto the right. Normally this will be until the calling device has reachedits normal position after being released by the impulse through themagnet 105. The subscribers having been signaled, will remove theirreceivers when the talking circuit will be :H at station No.1T-H.303132333a 35 to 3401f station No. 2-33-3231-30- H w TK2997969594r- 25 21 back to station No. 1-25-9t-959697--29-K. Thebattery 1 16 at central furnishes the energy for this talking. \Vhenthrough talking the subscribers hang up their receivers which operatesthe clearing-out drop 144 by breaking its circuit at the receiver hook.The operator then presses key 1 15 and simultaneously presses key 100 tothe right as before. A release impulse then flows from battery X throughkey 1 1-5 and thence over the originally described release circuit. Asthe key 145 has no notch by which it is caught and held in the depressedposition, it returns to normal po sition as soon as the operator lets goof it.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a series of local stations, acentral o'tlice, and a party line connecting the stations to the otlice,of devices for sending operating impulses from the oiiice to thestations, a generator for similarly sending signaling impulses, a seriesof station selecting keys, one for each station, and connectionscooperating into said keys whereby a depression of any one of them willconnect said devices to the line while the release of a depressed keydisconnects the devices and connects the generator.

2. The combination with a series of local stations, a central oliice,and a party line connecting the stations to the o'llice, of devices atthe oflice for sending operating and signaling impulses to and throughthe stations, a plug and cord for connecting said devices to any partyline terminating in the ofiice, a series of station selecting keys andconnections cooperating into said keys whereby upon the manipulation ofone of them to select a station, connections will be made to cause thesending of operating impulses while the release of a manipulated keywill make connections to cause the sending of signaling impulses.

3. In a lock-out party line system, switching devices at the localstations, a selecting device at the central gtfice provided with meansfor connecting it to any party line, a series of keys on the selectingdevice, by the manipulation of one of which a corresponding station onthe connected party line is selected, and automatically operating meansfor setting the selecting device into operation by manipulating one ofsaid keys.

4. In a party line system, the combination with switching devices at thelocal stations, by the operation of which selected stations aretelephonically connected to the line, of a power shaft located at thecentral ofiice, a normally idle impulse sending device adapted to beconnected to and be driven by the shaft, a plug and cord by which aparty line may be connected to the impulse sending device, a series ofkeys, by the manipulation of one of which a corresponding station on theline is selected for telephonic connection, and means by which themanipulation of any key for the purpose of selecting a particularstation causes the automatic connection of the impulse sending device tothe power shaft.

5. In a party line system, the combination with the switching devices ofthe local stations, and the selecting device at the central ofiiceprovided with station indicating keys, of a power drive for theselecting device, and automatically operating means for connecting thepower drive to the selecting device upon the manipulation of one of itsstation selecting keys.

6. In a party line system, the combination with the switching devices ofthe local stations, and the selecting device at the central officeprovided with station indicating keys, of a' power drive for theselecting device, automatically operating means for connecting the powerto the selecting device upon the manipulation of one of its keys, andautomatic means for releasing the selecting device from the power whenit has completed its cycle of operations.

7. In a party line system, the combination with the switching devices ofthe local stations, and a source of electricity for operating them, of aselecting device arranged to send impulses alternately in oppositedirections to operate the switching devices, means by which a secondaryimpulse associated with one of the impulses sent in one direc tion willconnect a selected station to the tions, of means for sending impulsesalternately in opposite directions through said switching devices, andadditional means for associating a secondary impulse with a primaryimpulse in either direction so that such secondary impulse is also sentthrough said switching devices.

9. In a party line system, the combination with devices at the centralofiice for sending impulses alternately in opposite directions, andmeans for associating a secondary impulse with an impulse in eitherdirection, of switching devices at the local stations arranged to beadvanced step by step by the alternating impulses, means by which a secondary impulse associated with a primary impulse in one direction willoperate a selected switching device to connect its stationtelephonically to the line, and means by which a secondary impulseassociated with a primary impulse in the opposite direction will releaseall of the switching devices.

10. In a party line system, the combination with devices at the centraloffice for sending impulses alternately in opposite directions, meansfor associating a secondary impulse with an impulse in either direction,and a series of keys one of which controls the association of thesecondary impulse with a different one of the primary impulses in one ofsaid directions, of switching mechanisms at the local stations adaptedto be advanced from normal position by the alternating impulses, meansby which a secondary impulse controlled by the manipulation of aparticular key will operate a selected switching mechanism to connectits station telephonically to the line, and means by which a secondaryimpulse associated with a primary impulse operates to release theswitching mechanisms.

11. In a party line system, the combination with the switchingmechanisms of the local stations arranged to have their operationscontrolled by combinations of impulses sent from the central oiiice, ofan impulse sending device arranged to send primary impulses alternatelyin opposite directions to advance the switching mechanisms and toassociate secondary impulses with different ones of the primary impulsesto further control and to release the switching mechanisms, a series ofstation indicating keys each one of which controls the association of asecondary impulse with a particular one of the primary impulses, andmeans by which the manipulation of any one of said keys starts theimpulse sending device into automatic operation.

12. In a party line system, the combinaondary impulses with differentones of the impulses previously mentioned, of switch operating magnetsat the local stations arranged to have their armatures vibrated to andfro by the alternating impulses, and other devices at the local stationsarranged to be operated by the secondary impulses.

13. In a party line system, the combination with a calling devicearranged to send impulses alternately in opposite directions from thecentral office and over the line, and means for associating secondaryimpulses with particular ones of the previously mentioned impulses, ofswitch operating magnets at the local stations arranged to have theirarmatures vibrated by the alternating impulses, means by which asecondary impulse associated with a primary impulse of one directionserves to connect a selected station telephonically at the line, andmeans by which a secondary impulse associated with a primary impulse ofthe opposite direction serves to release the devices controlled by theswitch operating magnets.

14L In a party line system, the combination with switching mechanisms atthe local stations adapted to have their operations controlled byimpulses sent from a central office, and a calling device for sendingsuch impulses, of devices for controlling the impulses sent so that aparticular station will be selected, and electrically operated meansalso controlled by said devices for starting and stopping the callingdevice.

15. In a party line system, the combina tion with switching mechanismsat the local stations, and a device at the central oflice for sendingimpulses to control the switching mechanisms, of selecting devices forcontrolling the impulses so as to cause the switching mechanism of aselected station to operate differently from the switching mechanisms ofstations not selected, and electrically operated means controlled by theselecting devices for starting and stopping the impulse sending device.

Signed at Wichita Ks. this 19 day of Feb.

CLARENCE A. ANDERSON. \Vitnesses Ronnrur T. BLAIR, H. C. ALsPAnen.

